Chapter 334 Xuzhou Prologue
The Battle of Xuzhou broke out unexpectedly.
January is not the time for spring plowing yet, and the cold has not yet subsided, so it is not the time to launch a large-scale military operation.
But on the sixth day of January, Yandu's troops marched north all the way to Haixi. After several days of fierce fighting there, they cut off the channel for the Haixi defenders to send messages to the north, thus launching the first battle of this war.
In the news that finally reached the provincial capital in the north of Xuzhou, the disadvantage of Haixi was extremely obvious. Even though the defense was never relaxed because it was located on the border between the two sides, it could not change the fact that it would be captured if reinforcements did not arrive in time.
The place of Yandu was given to Mi Zhu in order to win over allies as early as when Zhang Yi took the position of governor of southern Xuzhou with the support of Zhou Yu.
During these years, except for a few mines in the north, the Mi family of Donghai moved almost all other family forces here.
In other words, this place is almost equivalent to the Mi family's base.
It is not known what kind of alliance Zhang Yi and Mi Zhu reached at that time. In the past two years, the garrison in the southern part of Xuzhou has omitted Yandu and chosen to be located near the sea on the dividing line of the Huai River, in Sheyang.
According to the analysis of Chen Deng and Liu Bei, this might be to turn official salt into Mi's private salt in order to gain the support of this local force in Xuzhou.
Considering that Zhang Yi was originally an outsider in Xuzhou, this deal was not as loss-making as imagined, but it was not too profitable either.
However, since this is Zhang Yi's compromise with the current situation, there is not much to say.
Therefore, from the perspective of northern Xuzhou's observation and monitoring of the south, Yandu is not a place that needs so much attention. This is because almost all the caravans that come and go here are from the Mi family of the East China Sea. Also, because they have white crystal mines and other mineral deposits in northern Xuzhou, there are often vehicles transporting goods here.
Those guarding the border turned a blind eye to this.
No matter whether the ownership of Xuzhou finally belongs to Zhang Yi or Liu Bei, a man like Mi Zhu, who has armed support and huge wealth, will not end up in a miserable situation. There is no problem in making friends with them.
Anyway...Mi Zhu didn't cause any trouble in these transactions.
Also, because Yandu is the location of the Han Dynasty's salt fields, it is common for a large number of salt-making workers to come and go here. Recruiting workers from the north and repatriating them from the south are all normal employment practices.
The fact that there had been no abnormalities for more than two years made the defenders in Haixi almost feel that although Yandu nominally belonged to the territory of the southern governor, it should actually be considered an independent place in the center.
It was also for this reason that when the salt makers entering and leaving Yandu were replaced by the army, and even the caravans from the Mi clan in the East China Sea were replaced by grain carts, it did not attract anyone's attention.
This border, which was poorly defended by the local people of Xuzhou, was affected by the inertial thinking and suffered an unexpected attack!
Guan Yu's garrison stationed in Huaipu immediately marched northeastward, intending to rescue Haixi, but was dragged down in the Lianshui area by the joint forces of Ma Chao and Yan Yan.
"Now it's your first move." Jia Xu looked at Pang Tong opposite him and pressed a chess piece onto the chessboard in front of him.
"Of course, otherwise the teacher would have the upper hand." Pang Tong replied.
On January 11, the fourth year of Jian'an, Zhang Ren and Zhang Yang crossed Hongze Lake from Xutai County and headed straight for Xu County.
Xu County was in a state of emergency, and the defenders retreated to Xia Qiu and sent a signal for help to the provincial capital.
This battle should not have ended so quickly, but it happened in Xia Pi.
When Pei State in the west of Xia Pi was still under the jurisdiction of Liu Bei, once there was a change in Xu County, the neighboring Pei State could also provide support at the same time. But now, regarding the fall of Xu County, the county magistrate, who had just switched camps in Pei State, directly ignored the order in the name of Yuezhou support must be dispatched by the superior.
This also made Liu Bei miss the best opportunity to provide support.
Zhang Fei, who was stationed in Huaiyin, subsequently received an imperial edict from Liu Bei, ordering him to strictly guard the original territory and strictly prohibit any relocation.
Afterwards, Chen Deng, a native of Xia Pi, and Chen Dao, the commander of Liu Bei's Bai Li soldiers, rushed to Xia Qiu to provide support and blocked this attack.
The location of this first route of troops was not as difficult to defend as the first route, but they completed the landing in a faster time, which showed their unprecedented determination to recover the northern part of Xuzhou.
Not to mention that Liu Bei did not dare to relax his attitude towards the attack that took place in the fourth year of Jian'an, Yuan Shao, who received the news, did not dare to take it lightly.
He originally thought that Jizhou would be attacked because of the change of ownership of Youzhou, but he did not expect that Xuzhou, which had been in confrontation for a long time, would undergo a sudden change first.
However, the first city listed as the target of attack by Qiao Yan was Xuzhou, which was not good news for Yuan Shao.
Once Xuzhou is lost, Qingzhou will be directly exposed to the threat of Qiao Yan's troops, and Yuzhou will be in a state of being attacked from both sides. Once these two states are lost, he will really be left alone!
If he really ended up in such a situation, even if he wanted to build barriers on all sides and put all his manpower and resources into it, it would be too late to save the situation.
Therefore, Yuan Shao was unusually efficient. As soon as he received the news of the battle in Xuzhou, he immediately summoned his subordinates to discuss the matter and made a series of personnel adjustments without showing any hesitation.
One of them was directed against Cao Cao.
"Appointing Cao Cao as the General of the Eastern Expedition and ordering him to help quell the rebellion in the west of Xuzhou... From this perspective, Yuan Benchu is rarely generous." Qiao Yan looked at the letter he received and revealed a subtle smile.
She was not afraid that Yuan Shao would not be generous. After all, among all the chain reactions, it was impossible to know which one was her real move unless there was an enemy among her trusted advisers.
Why would these confidants defect to Yuan Shao's side in the face of the current situation?
"Then now is the time for us to make our next move," Guo Jia continued.
After the funeral of Xun Shuang in January, Qiao Yan had gone from Bingzhou to Sili due to the rebellion in Pei State of Yuzhou, and then stayed in Luoyang.
Firstly, it was because she had indeed stayed in Bingzhou for too long. With the publication of the book "Shanhelu" in January, she no longer had any reason to stay here for long. Secondly, -
It was also for the series of dispatch instructions she issued at this time.
He ordered Zhao Yun to lead his troops from Huanyuan Pass to Yingchuan.
He ordered Xu Huang to stay at Hulao Pass and send troops to Yanzhou from Chenggao at any time.
He ordered Yuan Yao, who was in Nanyang, to transfer the garrison troops to Yuzhou.
If Cao Cao makes a move to support Xuzhou from Pei State, immediately attack Runan and Dongjun to force them to return for support.
He ordered Gongsun Du to send troops by sea from Liaodong to Qingzhou and Donglai, in order to delay the Qingzhou garrison and strictly forbid them from going south to support Xuzhou.
Four instructions in total!
Others thought that it was not a suitable time to send troops before the arrival of spring, but Qiao Yan thought it was just the opposite.
In her opinion, this was the perfect time.
Last year's handling of the drought and the supply of cotton clothes in winter have given confidence to the people under her control.
In the "Record of Mountains and Rivers" published in January, the facts of the wars have been laid out in front of everyone, and it sends a clear signal: she and her people know a lot about the mountains and rivers in various places.
So when she sent troops so resolutely, who would think that she was going to fight an unprepared battle?
It is not yet spring this year, and it remains unknown whether the early spring rain will be as scarce as last year.
Think about it, people would always prefer to have more hope for the future. For example, they hope that the drought was just an exception last year and will not continue into this year.
So at this time, everyone from the soldiers participating in the war to the people assisting in war deployment will not be worried about the crops, and they will be able to devote themselves wholeheartedly to this war.
This is the most suitable state for Qiao Yan!
How will Cao Cao respond to her arrangements?
The armistice agreement between Runan and Yingchuan was made out of the careful considerations of both sides, but it did not specify how long the armistice would last. The winter cotton trade never meant that Qiao Yan and Cao Cao were in a peaceful coexistence relationship. Her several troop deployment orders did not sound like a joke at all.
"Look, Fengxiao, I always like to point east and hit west. Now I have to make them hesitate about my real intention." Qiao Yan said, "Perhaps Yuan Shao will think about whether I am pretending to send troops to Liu Bei in Xuzhou, but my real intention is Cao Cao in Yanzhou."
This is really not an impossible thing.
The work of guiding refugees to settle in Luoyang, Hongnong and other places last year, coupled with the methods of fighting drought promoted in the Leping Monthly, made people regard her as their reborn parent.
If we want to recruit soldiers and expand the army in the eastern part of Sili, the difficulty is obvious to all.
This is the objective condition for Qiao Yan to have the opportunity to attack - he has soldiers.
In addition, the books that came along with the cotton trade made the people in Yanzhou and Yuzhou, while grateful for Cao Cao's kindness in exchanging cotton, also have more respect for the Sima who was able to provide cotton and achieve such great achievements.
If a large army really came from Luoyang or Yingchuan, how would Yanzhou and Yuzhou react?
They might think that instead of letting Cao Cao put them in trouble with such a large army approaching, it would be better to escape directly into the eight passes of Luoyang!
This issue, along with this series of troop deployments, will definitely cause a reaction within Yanzhou.
Even though the one facing the biggest trouble right now is Liu Bei, with whom Cao Cao has already fought, the pressure he is under is no less than his.
This almost meant that the support that could have been launched from the direction of Pei State was stillborn.
On the other hand, Gongsun Du's dispatch of troops from Liaodong forced Yuan Tan, who had originally received an order from Yuan Shao to dispatch troops for support, to stay in Qingzhou to prevent other threats from behind.
In this case, it seems that Xuzhou can only rely on itself to save itself.
What's more, in this advantageous situation that has finally emerged in southern Xuzhou, it is not only Qiao Yan who is mobilizing troops outside who will assist Zhang Yi, but also Yangzhou.
Even though Qiao Yan did not order the troops to be dispatched to Yangzhou, Zhou Yu still chose to make the decision to march north at this time.
In his opinion, this was the best time to retake the northern part of Xuzhou and make Yangzhou, which had Xuzhou as its northern barrier, safer.
It is also the best opportunity for Yangzhou forces to make achievements in this dispute!
"Before I return, Bofu must not launch a large-scale encirclement and suppression campaign against the Shanyue. Especially, do not engage in direct combat with the enemy in the mountainous terrain, in order to prevent ourselves from being tricked by them." Zhou Yu gave Sun Ce many instructions before dispatching his troops north.
But no matter how he looked at it, he felt that Sun Ce and his attendant Zhu Ran did not seem like they could be persuaded in the face of hatred.
He then found Zhang Zhao and Huang Gai and asked them to pay close attention to Sun Ce's actions. If there was anything inappropriate, they should come to Xuzhou to find him immediately, and perhaps they could persuade him.
In short, no matter what, the gains from the war in Xuzhou can only be regarded as icing on the cake. If something goes wrong in Yangzhou, even if the position of Xuzhou Mu falls into their hands, they will not be able to make up for it.
Not to mention, this is something that is impossible to happen.
Thinking of the attitude of the Yangzhou families and the fact that Shanyue had joined forces with Huang She to kill Zhu Zhi last year, Zhou Yu always felt a little uneasy in his heart.
But he changed his mind and realized that Sun Ce had already been operating in Yangzhou for more than a year. His father's former subordinates had already regarded him as their true lord, and many of the new soldiers were willing to die for him. So, even if he was not watching, nothing should go wrong.
But when he set foot in Xuzhou, Zhou Yu put aside his worries and focused his attention on the battle situation in Xuzhou.
Qiao Yan and Zhang Yi's men held Guan Yu back all the way to the right, and fought with Chen Deng and Chen Dao all the way to the left. So if he wanted to break the deadlock, he had to go straight to the center.
Zhou Yu looked at the Huaihe River defense map in front of him and selected a target for himself.
Huaiyin.
Huaiyin where Zhang Fei was stationed.
However, before sending out troops, he first went to Gaoyou County in Guangling, where he met Jia Xu, who was closely related to the death of Sun Jian.
The other party was not like last year, with Taishi Ci and others guarding him. He just continued to play chess with Pang Tong and the hostage Lu Su, which made Zhou Yu couldn't help asking, "Mr. Wenhe doesn't seem to be worried about his own safety at all?"
Jia Xu placed the chess piece on the board slowly and calmly. After the tapping sound, he replied, "I thought you would ask why Xuzhou suddenly mobilized troops without informing you."
Zhou Yu thought for a moment and replied, "One state should handle its own affairs. You think two armies can conquer Xuzhou, and there is a Grand Marshal behind to control the reinforcements. What do I have to ask?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jia Xu replied, "But you still sent troops here at this time, which shows that you have never stopped at just one state and you know what cooperation is. If so, you should also see the significance of my presence here and will not secretly kill me when there is a lack of defense around me."
Jia Xu cast a meaningful look at him, "Is that so?"
Yes, Zhou Yu was able to analyze the pros and cons of the current situation. He knew that even if Qiao Yan did not make any arrangements with him and assisted Xuzhou in ending the confrontation between the North and the South in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he would still choose to take the initiative. How could he attack Jia Xu under such circumstances?
He just vaguely realized that Jia Xu seemed to be more than just a teacher who led the graduation examination in Leping Academy, which also made Qiao Yan's "avoiding suspicion" behavior towards Jia Xu seem a little untenable.
As there was still some chaos in Yangzhou, Zhou Yu was troubled and anxious to get an answer to the matter.
Unfortunately, Jia Xu's joke allowed him to get away with it.
He was in a state of confusion when he suddenly heard Jia Xu ask, "Are you ready to make the fourth move?"
He was about to think that this was a question from Jia Xu, but then he saw Lu Su, who had switched to the chessboard, drop a chess piece onto the board. Looking closely, he saw that this was indeed the fourth move of their new round of the game.
Zhou Yu was silent for a while and then walked out of the room.
Rather than feeling depressed in this confusing environment, it would be better to end the war in Xuzhou as soon as possible.
If Qiao Yan's threats to mobilize troops in Luoyang, Yingchuan and Liaodong are counted as one move, then what he has taken is really the fourth step!
"This kid from Yangzhou is really trying to take advantage." Zhang Fei stood on the city wall of Huaiyin, looking at the shadowy figures of the Yangzhou army approaching, and said to Chen Gui who was standing beside him.
"Don't underestimate him. The current situation in Xuzhou is not unrelated to him."
When something happened in Xia Pi, Chen Gui did not go back, but stayed in Huaiyin with Zhang Fei. This was also Liu Bei's arrangement.
Zhang Fei had a somewhat rough and straightforward personality, but he was respectful to his learned elders.
It’s hard to say whether others can persuade him, but Chen Gui can still persuade him.
Liu Bei believed that his complete knowledge of the situation in Xuzhou and his shrewd character complemented Zhang Fei's and could serve as Zhang Fei's advisor in dispatching troops.
After Lu Su was kidnapped last year, counselors like Chen Gui became even more important to Liu Bei.
Zhang Fei glanced at Chen Gui. He knew that Liu Bei relied on him, so he did not refute Chen Gui's words. He just muttered softly, "I said he came to take advantage of him, but that is not the same as looking down on him. There was a civil strife in Pei State, and those guys in the south of Xuzhou came immediately. This must have something to do with them."
"I don't know what they are thinking. They would rather hand Pei over to Cao Cao than let us suffer losses."
Chen Gui shook his head. "As long as the final result is that they can take Xuzhou, all the sacrifices will be meaningful. This is the subtlety of the other party."
Zhang Fei asked, "In Mr. Han Yu's opinion, if we want to defeat Zhang Yi and expel Zhou Yu, what means should we use?"
"It depends on which side shows weakness first, allowing Xuande to come to support and break the stalemate." Chen Gui looked at the sky in the distance, feeling a little uncertain.
During the civil strife in Yizhou last year, no one expected that Qiao Yan, who was originally stationed in Luoyang, would suddenly change his route to Yizhou and go straight to Chengdu.
In this year's battle of Xuzhou, the deployment of troops from all parties was almost all arranged by her. With her temperament, would she stay in Luoyang all the time just to contain Cao Cao?
I’m afraid not!
But if she really came to Xuzhou, it would definitely not be good news for this place.
"Mr. Hanyu?"
Hearing Zhang Fei calling him, Chen Gui quickly came back to his senses and replied, "It's okay, I was just thinking that Yandu, where Mi Zizhong is, has been preparing for several years before today's change. The change of ownership of Pei State before the battle in Xu County should also be at the instruction of Qiao Yan."
"Both sides were well prepared and took steady steps. Even the Liangzhou generals who attacked Haixi were known for their recklessness and bravery, but they did not make any radical moves. Perhaps—"
"The only breakthrough we can find is still with Zhou Yu. If that's the case, then it's your chance to make great achievements."
Zhang Fei smiled when he heard this, "Thank you for the good words, Mr. Han Yu."
As a general, who wouldn’t like to have his side be the first to achieve merit?
Zhang Fei was no exception.
But I am afraid that Liu Bei's defenders on this battlefield did not expect that although it seemed that Lu's army was pressing in the southern part of Xuzhou and was determined to take it, Yangzhou, which was out of the storm at this moment, was not calm at all.
Not long after Zhou Yu left, Sun Ce received a message:
Huang She actually found a way out of the mountains of Jing County and left for several days, going to Yuzhang County. No one knew what he did.
However, he accidentally exposed his whereabouts on his return and was discovered by Sun Ce's followers.
"How dare he show up at this time!"
This is more than just arrogance, it is a provocation directed at Sun Ce.
Sun Ce slammed the table and stood up, "If I don't take this boy's head and report it to the emperor, how can I be qualified to be the governor of Yangzhou!"
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